


I'm Listening

by ShadowsintheClouds



Series: Short Marvel Fics and gifts [2]
Category: Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Insecure Tony Stark, M/M, for the captain awesome holiday gift exchange on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 15:39:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17062433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsintheClouds/pseuds/ShadowsintheClouds
Summary: Due to things beyond his control, Student Bucky Barnes is stuck at school over the holiday break. Unfortunately for him, he’s not alone. Fellow student and rumoured professional asshat Tony Stark is also stranded on campus. Will Bucky warm up to the young genius or will his opinion of him get frozen solid like the snow?





	I'm Listening

**Author's Note:**

  * For [armoredsoftie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/armoredsoftie/gifts).



> This was a labour of love so enjoy!! For[armoredsoftie](https://armoredsoftie.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr. Check her out, she's amazing!

Winter on the east coast was… unpleasant to say the least. Bucky hated how the cold made his bones ache, especially his left arm. Or, what was left of it. Bucky had lost his arm as a child in a train accident. It wasn’t something he liked to talk about much. Let’s just say he was playing games where he shouldn’t have. At least Bucky had gotten a pretty sweet prosthetic out of the whole ordeal. His friends didn’t seem to care either.

Bucky and his best friend Steve had been inseparable since they first met when they were in elementary school. They did everything together including going to the same University. There they had met some other amazing people in their dorms. It was nice. Bucky had grown up an outcast but had quickly found a group of amazing people who didn’t treat him like he was defective.

In addition to Steve, there was Clint who was their resident jokester, Natasha, who was a bit stoic but was fiercely protective of all of them. Next was Thor, he was an exchange student and was more like a big puppy than anything. Last in their little group was Bruce. He was a Bioengineering major and was the shyest out of the group.      

All of them were 18. Freshmen embarking on the journey of adulthood.

Their first semester went great, all things considering. Bucky and Steve had gotten into University on a scholarship and it showed. Almost everyone on campus was dressed nicely in designer clothes. Well, it was expected considering that they were going to a prestigious school. They had met friends easily through their classes and extracurriculars. They all became quick friends and were some of the more popular kids on campus.

The only downside to the whole semester, Bucky had to stay on campus over the holidays. It wasn’t that his Mama didn’t try to bring him home. It’s just that they didn’t have enough money for Bucky to fly back home. Bucky understood, and his Mama and sisters promised to call him every day, but that still didn’t take away the sting of havening to spend the holidays alone while his friends and family celebrated without him.

Well, Bucky was mostly alone.

There was only one other student staying on campus over the holidays. Tony Stark. The arrogant, party hungry, absolute asshole, Tony Stark. Well, Bucky had never actually met the 16-year-old kid, but his reputation proceeded him.

Bucky was not looking forward to that. And to make matters worse, Bucky just so happened to live in the same building as Stark so he was being forced by his RA to interact with the only other human staying on campus over the break.

This was going to be hell.

The day everyone went home for the break, Bucky decided to help Steve bring his bags down to the lobby of their building. Steve’s bus was already there so they couldn’t spend too long saying goodbye. After Steve left, Bucky decided to take the stairs back up to his room. Taking the stairs in a large apartment complex when you lived on the tenth floor was no easy feat no matter how fit you are. With that in mind, Bucky had to take a short breather as he climbed ever higher. He stopped at the eighth floor supply closet and was just sitting down when he heard a couple of voices coming from nearby.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come home with me Tony? I know my Mama won’t mind taking you in.”

“I can’t Rhodey. If Howard were to find out then I’d just get in trouble. It’s getting hard enough to hide the bruises when he forces me home every few weeks. Imagine what he’d do if he found out I’d disobeyed him! I can’t go Rhodey, I’m sorry.”

Well, colour Bucky surprised. This was news to him. Bucky had seen Stark walking around campus with visible bruises and a limp a few times. He just thought it was from picking fights with the other students. Although, Stark could be lying. Bucky had learned to take all information with a grain of salt and wait for more details.  

Still, hearing what was most likely a private conversation made Bucky uncomfortable. He quickly made it back to his room and started cooking some dinner. It wasn’t anything even remotely fancy. Just some packaged ramen with some chicken pieces in it. The whole time Bucky was cooking, he couldn’t help thinking back to the conversation he’d overheard. Something in the way Stark had spoken was unsettling. He had sounded like a scared little kid. Like he was genuinely scared. It made Bucky worry a bit. Maybe he had misjudged Stark. He’d only ever heard rumours about him. Bucky began to wonder just how many of them were true.

Around 7 o’clock that night, Bucky got a message from his RA telling him to head down to the media room on the second floor. So, Bucky grabbed his room key and made his way down to the room. When he arrived he was just expecting it to be a check in with his RA. Oh, he was so wrong. When Bucky entered the room he was met with the sight of his RA sitting on the couch while across from them sat Tony Stark. The teen looked miserable like he really didn’t want to be there.

“Oh good, you’re here Barnes. Come and take a seat.” Called their RA once they’d spotted Bucky.

Bucky did as he was told and took a seat on the same couch Stark was sitting on. Except he sat down one the complete opposite end. The whole atmosphere was just thick with tension and awkwardness. Tension and awkwardness that their RA just wasn’t picking up on.

“Alright, so, I’ve brought you two down here because you’re the only ones staying here over the break. Now, I don’t want either of you to be alone so for the next three hours I’m locking you guys in the room so you’re forced to get to know each other.”

Both Bucky and Stark looked on incredulously. This was ridiculous! Forget ridiculous, was this even legal!

“You know that if you lock the door I’ll just get it open in a matter of minutes.” Spoke up Stark from his spot on the couch.

“That’s why I’m blocking the door. Now you two have fun.” Their RA smiled and exited the room. On the other side of the door, the telltale sound of heavy furniture echoed through the halls and both Bucky and Stark looked perturbed.

The two teens sat in relative silence for a little while. Stark curled up defensively in the corner and pulled at the sleeves of his sweater. Bucky took the silence to actually get a good look at Stark. To Bucky, Stark looked the complete opposite of a fancy rich billionaire. His hair was a curly mess, he had dark circles under his eyes. Stark was also wearing a clearly oversized sweater. Bucky wasn’t sure if it belonged to his roommate of if Stark was hiding something.

“Well… since we’re stuck in here together we may as well talk.” Spoke Bucky after 20 agonizing minutes if silence.    

“You don’t want to talk to me. You’ll just end up hating yourself for doing that.” Spat Stark from his little corner of the couch.

“And why would I hate myself?” asked Bucky as he turned himself to face sideways on the couch.

“Haven’t you heard the rumours?” retorted Stark, “I’m an alcoholic playboy who’s nothing but an asshole. Just a dick and a brain.”

Bucky stared at Stark for a few seconds, his eyes wide. Stark didn’t sound like he was bragging about any of those rumours. In fact, Bucky had come to the realization that he’d ONLY EVER heard rumours about Stark. And rumours get twisted and hurtful over time. It was extremely possible that none of them were true. So, Bucky decided to take a chance.

“None of those rumours are true though, right?”

Stark looked over at Bucky for the first time that night. His eyes were wide in surprise. In fact, they looked a little bit glassy with unshed emotions. Like this was the first time anyone had even bothered to get his side of the story in a long, long time.

“Most people believe what they want too. Why argue the fact even if the facts aren’t true. I learned my lesson a long time ago that it doesn’t pay to pick fights with those who are bigger than you.” Stark smiled sullenly and just those few words spoke thousands of those unsaid to Bucky.

Bucky had always been good at picking up on emotions. Just looking at Stark, Bucky could tell that he was hurting and that nobody except his friend Rhodes had bothered to do anything. That is if that conversation he heard earlier was anything to go off of.

“Are any of those rumours true?” asked Bucky as he took a tentative scoot closer to Stark.

“Why do you care? You’re only in here because we’ve been forced to talk to each other.” Bucky could tell Stark was getting anxious and agitated, but he continued to press forward for some answers.

“Well to start off, if people were to be sleeping around with you it would technically be statutory rape, and that’s nothing to be bragging about.” Started Bucky and Stark’s eyes widened for a second before he looked down at his hands.

“Again, why do you care?”

“Because I heard the conversation you had with Rhodes earlier.” Stark was silent for a second before he finally processed what he’d heard and snapped.

“YOU WHAT!?”

“It was an accident I swear!” floundered Bucky as he tried to defend himself against the irate genius.

Stark began shouting out nonsense and throwing pillows around for a few minutes before he finally seemed to get his emotions under control. He sat back down on the couch and sighed. The whole time he was throwing things, Bucky stayed silent. This was obviously a touchy subject for Stark.

“How much do I have to pay you to keep quiet about this?” murmured Stark after a few minutes of silence.

“Why the hell would you think that I’d want money to keep quiet?” argued Bucky  

“That’s all I’m good for. People only ever want money from me. That’s just how the world works.”

“And who taught you that?” asked Bucky. Tony looked down at his hands but didn’t answer.

“Does it have anything to do with what you told Rhodes about your father?” Bucky looked over at Stark, but it still took him a few moments to respond. It looked like he was weighing all his options.

“My old nanny was from Argentina. She taught me Spanish. My mom is from Italy. She taught me Italian. Ana and Jarvis are Jewish. They taught me Hebrew. Howard, well… he taught me the language of silence. That he can make me hurt in any language and nobody will hear me.” Tony was whispering by the end of his little rant and it made Bucky’s heartache.

“I hear you Stark.” Came Bucky’s reply, But Stark wasn’t really paying attention.  

“I’m just a broken person held together with thumbtacks and cellophane.”

Bucky could quite believe what he was hearing. Stark seemed like a genuinely kind person, but he obviously had some severe emotional problems that stemmed from years of abuse and neglect. It made Bucky’s stomach churn. Nobody should have to live like that. Bucky took a chance and scooted closer to Stark on the couch and pulled the genius into a hug. He resisted for a second but then melted into the embrace. It was clear that Stark wasn’t really used to affection and touch that wasn’t painful.

After that, the floodgates were open. Neither of them knew where all the trust was coming from, but it was a welcome chance for Stark to vent about all the pain he’d endured. Bucky sat there and listened. It was clear that he was only one of two people who had ever lent Stark an ear and actually cared about all the shit he’d been through.

“I just hate this all so much. You have no idea, Barnes! You have no idea what it’s like to feel like you’re just shouting into the void just to get even a little bit of positive attention.”

“Stop it with all the Barnes crap. I hate being called by my last name. Call me Bucky.”

“Only if you call me Tony.”

The two shared a small smile and slowly but surely, the conversation turned to slightly more positive subjects.

Around 11 that night, their RA finally decided to open the door and let the two out. What they didn’t expect was to see both students sound asleep next to each other while Die Hard played in the background. They just decided to leave them there so that they could sleep.

The rest of the break, Bucky actually made an effort to hang out with Tony. The had a surprising amount in common now that they were getting to know each other. Both were big pranksters and troublemakers. Both where science majors and both had a secret sweet tooth. Hell, they even liked the same music and movies. They got along swimmingly.

It was two weeks into their three-week break when Bucky started realizing that he had feelings for Tony. You couldn’t really fault him. Tony was sweet, charming, and stupidly good looking. And the age difference wasn’t that big of a deal. They were only two years apart so Bucky didn’t think it was creepy.

Still, Bucky was not anticipating getting a crush over the break. Bucky liked when he made Tony laugh. He’d only ever seen him looking miserable or wearing a mask before. It made Bucky’ heart flutter to know that he was the one putting the smiles on his face. Bucky also learnt that Tony was quite tactile. Tony had fallen asleep in Bucky a few times when they got together to watch some movies. Bucky thought it was adorable. Tony was just like a cat. Prickly with others but affectionate with those who cared for him.

The night before the break was about to end and everyone was to return to campus, Bucky realized that he couldn’t really keep his feelings for Tony a secret anymore. He didn’t want to lose Tony once the other students came back and things got back to normal. So, on the last night of break, Bucky invited Tony over to his room for dinner. Bucky spared no expense. Well… no expense for a broke college student. Bucky had trudged outside earlier and braved the snow to pick up some groceries. Bucky made it back home in one piece and got to cooking. Bucky enjoyed cooking. It brought him a sense of calm. Just as Bucky was finishing up, there was a knock at the door.

“It’s open!” called out Bucky.

The door clicked open and Tony walked into Bucky’s apartment. He was smiling wide when he entered the room and it made Bucky smile as well.

“You seem happy.” Bucky smiled at Tony as he began plating up their food.

“You’re feeding me. Of course, I’m happy.”

They two sat down to dinner and just held a normal conversation. It was nice. The air was calm and the two enjoyed themselves as they got into a “dad joke” competition. After they ate, Bucky dragged Tony over the couch so that they could watch a movie. They settled on some overly cheesy rom-com that Tony seemed to enjoy. Just as the guy was about to get the girl, Bucky decided to take his chance. In a moment of what they would think of later as “absolute comedy gold”, Bucky yawned and stretched out his arms, allowing one to fall back and rest around Tony’s shoulders. Tony looked over at Bucky with a mixture of amusement and confusion. What on Earth was he doing?

“What are you up to Bucky Bear?” asked Tony as he stared down Bucky. Bucky just blushed a bit but he didn’t break eye contact.

Tony just looked at Bucky even more confused then he had a few moments ago. And that was when Bucky took his chance. It was now or never. This was not the time to chicken out. So, Bucky took his chance. He lent down and gave Tony a chaste kiss on the lips.

Tony was taken by surprise the second Bucky’s lips met his. He hadn’t expected this at all when Bucky had invited him over for dinner and a movie. Well, thinking back on it, it should have been obvious. And it wasn’t like Tony hadn’t been harbouring a crush for Bucky since they’d finally gotten to know each other. So, Tony did exactly what he wanted to do. He kissed Bucky back.

When Bucky pulled away from the kiss he had a bit of a stupid smile on his face. Tony had kissed him back! When Bucky got his first look at Tony post-kiss, the same smile was reflected there. That was a pleasant surprise for Bucky. He really liked Tony, and it appeared that Tony shared that sentiment.

“I hope that wasn’t too forward.” Mumbled Bucky as he scratched at the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“No… Never. I um... I didn’t think you’d like me like that.” Stammered Tony as he looked down at his hands. His cheeks were flushed and he looked a little insecure.

“Tony, I think you’re amazing.” Stated Bucky. Tony just blushed more. Bucky reached out and pulled Tony a little bit closer.

“You’re smart. You’re funny. You’re kind. I want there to be an us. I want to be there to listen to you when you need me to.”

“You could do so much better than me.” Whispered Tony and Bucky just lent in and hugged him.

“I like you because you’re you, Tony. No because you’re someone else.” Bucky smiled a bit when Tony let himself melt into the hug. “So what do you say, shall we give this a shot?” Bucky hoped that Tony would say yes. He really wanted to give this relationship a try.     

“I want to give it a try too. I really like you Bucky. I’ve seen you around campus and thought you were hot. I’m… I’m glad you like me too.” Tony and smiled and Bucky did as well.

The two spent the rest of their evening cuddling on the couch in Bucky’s room and trading a few kisses. Neither wanted for things to move too fast. They just enjoyed each others company. Steve found them asleep together on the couch the next morning when he got back from break. Tony got all flustered when Steve started yelling. He excused himself back to his and Rhodey’s room while Bucky ranted to Steve about his behaviour and how Tony wasn’t who the rumours described him as. Steve apologized to Tony later that night for his behaviour. Tony had never had anyone apologize to him before and it once again left him flustered.

School started up the next day and both Bucky and Tony made sure to spend time together. Tony would help Bucky with his class and lab work while Bucky helped Tony feel safe and secure. And when Howard decided to show up one weekend and disturb their peace, Bucky was right there helping Tony through all of it.   

Neither Bucky nor Tony knew what the rest of the school year would have in store for them. All they knew was that they had each other to lean on when times got tough. They had someone to listen.   

 

 


End file.
